Salisbury Charter Committee

Minutes of Regular Meeting

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

 

 

Members Present:  Robert Carroll (RC); Mike Gilbert (MG); Robert Straubel (RS); Harold Congdon (HC); Mary Cuddire (MC); Jim Dondero (JD)  ;

Member(s) Absent:  Ed Hunt (EH)

 

Visitors: None

 

RC Opened Regular Meeting at 7:04 p.m.

 

1.    Old Business:

 

BC reviews steps he has taken to publicize the committee’s meetings:

·         Requested Newburyport Daily News reporter to publish a short article concerning the committee.

·         Produced slide to be shown regularly on Salisbury Community Television (SCTV)

·         Arranged to speak to the Board of Selectmen on 6/8/2009 and explain to the Board and the SCTV viewing public the purpose and workings of the committee.  BC will also discuss with the Board methods to involve their participation in future committee meetings.

·         Spoke with SCTV crew about televising select meetings including the public hearing on August 11th.

 

 

2.     Discussion – Article 2 of the Charter

 

A.   Title

a.    In order to facilitate public understanding of the Town Charter provisions, the committee agrees to recommend the change suggested by JD to add a footnote to the title “ARTICLE 2 / LEGISLATIVE BRANCH.”  This footnote will refer to the appropriate section of the town by-laws as follows:  “Town Meeting By-Law, Chapter 233 of the General By-Laws, Town of Salisbury”

B.   Section 2-1:  Town Meeting

a.    No change recommended

C.   Section 2-2:  Presiding Officer

a.    No change recommended.

D.   Section 2-3:  Committees

a.    In order to increase public awareness of the warrant articles prior to town meeting, the committee agrees to recommend the following wording be inserted as the penultimate sentence in § 2-3 (b) Warrant Advisory Committee:  “The recommendations and the reasons for them shall be published both electronically and in print.”

E.   Section 2-4:  Time of Meetings

a.    In order to comply with changes in State Law, the committee agrees to recommend that the word “June” be inserted in the second sentence of § 2-4 so that this sentence will read as follows:  “The first such meeting, to be held during March, April, May or June, on a date . . . shall be deemed to be the Annual Town Meeting.”

F.    Section 2-5:  Special Meetings

a.    No change recommended

G.   Section 2-6:  Warrants

a.    The committee does not recommend changes to this section but MG will investigate whether or not the Town By-Law regarding warrants specifies that they should be published electronically.  If no such requirement exists, the committee may wish to recommend adding such a requirement.

H.   Section 2-7:  Initiation of Warrant Articles

a.    BC, acting upon a recommendation by MC, will ask the town manager and Ms. Marilyn Contreas, DHCD, if they would favor a recommendation that wording be added to this section requiring that all warrant articles submitted by voter petition as specified in § 2-7 (a)(3) be submitted for review by town counsel and that counsel’s recommendation be published in the warrant.

I.      Section 2-8:  Availability of Town Officials at Town Meetings

a.    In order to increase compliance with this section, as suggested by MC and JD, the committee agrees to add the following sentence at the end of the section:  “At least once annually the Town Manager shall provide written notice regarding the provisions of this section to the members of all town committees and boards.”

J.    Invitees

a.    In order to assist in its recommendations for Article 3, the committee agrees to interview the following people:  Wilma McDonald, Town Clerk; Ron Ray, Town Moderator; Dave Proctor, WAC and Neil Harrington, Town Manager.  The timing of these interviews will be discussed at future meetings.

 

3.    Visitor Comments

a.  There are no visitors present at this meeting.

 

4.     Approval of May 26, 2009 Minutes

a.  BC adds correction replacing the word “Commission” in the heading of the minutes with the word “Committee.”

b.  MG moves to approve minutes as corrected – BC seconds – vote 5-0 in favor, JD abstains.

 

5.    Adjournment

a.  MC motions to adjourn – MG seconds – vote in favor 6-0 unanimous.

b.  Meeting adjourned at 8:20 PM.

 

 

 

 

Minutes Approved By:  Robert J. Straubel   Date:  June 9, 2009